Family Ties
by xxBardApprenticexx
Summary: Alex's older sister Sara has always looked out for him, protected him. But now it looks like she might be doing the opposite... YassenOC, movieverse, M to be safe.
1. EDITED! A Family

**Many thanks to: mml94, Independent-Chick-92, may, and Coolbluesmile. Ya'll rock!  
**  
**Disclaimer: MINE!! ...Okay, okay, not _quite_ mine. But it could be. Someday... Yea, nevermind. Anthony Horowitz wins.**

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Chapter 1  
(**EDITED**)  
-A Family-

_Sara sat on her bed, a letter in front of her. She peered down at it over her knees, which were pulled up to her chest. The tears in her eyes obstructed her vision, but she'd already memorized the words. They didn't hold any meaning - they were a disguise for the real message.What was important was the delicate rose clasped gently in her hand. It was made of glass, a special design made only by a reclusive family in Italy. She knew the words it implied, knew how they would sound in His voice. The letter said he wanted to see her, the rose said he couldn't. The rose said goodbye._

A knock on the door stopped her thoughts, and Sara faked a brilliant smile as she crossed to open it, cleanly slipping the rose into a drawer before she reached for the knob. Ian Rider faced her on the other side, his smile faltering at her tears. "What's wrong?" He asked quickly, leading her back to the bed to sit. Sara launched into a tale of lockers and proms and secret admirers, and Ian sat patiently through it all. He smiled, and said he was glad for her. She shook her head and said she wasn't sure what she would do. He offered a day of paintball and rockclimbing and a shooting range to clear her head. She accepted. As he left, Ian turned back to stare his niece in the eye, and nonchalantly asked her to pass along to her 'secret admirer' that glass roses were overly dramatic, and a nice picture of the canals would be more appreciated.

Sara sat in shock for a long while before finally understanding the simple concept her uncle had put forth; there are many levels to every situation, and not everything can be clearly defined as friend or foe. Sara continued to lie to her uncle, as he did to her. But an underlying feeling of trust, affirmed in small meaningless truths stayed between them from then on, creating an unbreakable bond.  


--

Sara and Alex Rider sat in Mr. Jeffries' psychology class, listening to his lecture on family. Sara was writing on her laptop, while Alex doodled in the back of his spiral. "Miss Rider, do you have anything prepared for us?" Jeffries asked, smirking.

Sara sighed, knowing this was his way of showing that though she was older than the rest of the class, and was taking it a second time only as training for her upcoming job as a journalist, he was going to treat her like everyone else, if not worse. "Well, if it's alright, we kind of prepared something together, Mr. Jeffries." Alex piped up, and Jeffries reluctantly agreed. As the two siblings approached the podium, Sara whispered her thanks. Alex rolled his eyes, then nudged her, and she smiled at his silent dismissal.

"Well, there's not much we can say about our family. Didn't know our parents, they died when I was small." Alex started. "Mum was a workaholic and Dad was never home, so even at twelve, I didn't know them well." Sara continued. "We live with our uncle. He's never really around though either, so we can't tell you much about him. We have a sort of housekeeper though, to take care of, well, me mostly." Alex admitted grudgingly, despising the smug look Sara wore suddenly. "She's an American, Jack. She's always there, which is great cuz, well, this one needs looked after." She teased, chuckling as he elbowed her. "Our uncle, he's never going to set the world on fire, cuz he's got a real boring job." Alex changed the subject. Sara scoffed. "The most boring job there is, he's a banker." The class laughed at her jokes, as always. Alex never could relate to people like she could. Well, that was what he thought. "His work's important to him," Alex defended, mock-glaring at his older sister. The class sat straighter, hoping the siblings would start yet another fake argument and leave Jeffries groaning. Sara grinned, deciding to keep the act going. "He never talks about it, though. It's always, 'some last-minute conference', or 'irreplaceable week-long training'." Alex frowned. "He does too say something. Right now he's somewhere in Cornwall, at a… last-minute conference." He trailed off. Sara laughed, as did the class. Alex's smile made them laugh harder, and Jeffries couldn't suppress the groan.

"Alright, alright. That's enough, you two. I'll always wonder why you didn't just take the drama classes instead. Would've made my life a lot easier." He mumbled, motioning for them to take their seats. The siblings did so, smiling the whole way. As they passed Sabina, who smiled at Alex, he blushed. Sara coughed into her hand to hide the smile, earning a shove from Alex. The rest of the class, Sara spent on her laptop, and Alex absorbed in some picture he was drawing.

After the bell, Alex walked with Sara to the gate. "C'mon Alex. Ask her to do something this weekend. She'll say yes, I'll bet." Sara suggested, grinning mischievously at him. "Ugh, just go back to your job-searching, Sara." Alex moaned, giving her a small push. "Aw, but that'd be no fun. You all alone without me to bother you? What a nightmare!" She gasped dramatically, clutching a hand to her chest. Her face, however, was everything but tragic. Her huge smile and gleaming eyes made her brother laugh. Sara revved the engine of her bike, waving to her brother. Neither knew that this normalcy they had come to love was about to be smashed to pieces.

--

Alex walked into Ian Rider's house, disturbed by the silence. Both Jack and his sister should be home, and they weren't the quiet types. He wasn't surprised they got along so well, they could've passed for sisters, if it weren't for Sara's darker brown hair and skin tanned from hours outside nearly everyday. Alex had the same tan with lighter hair.

The tan was from all the dangerous, sporty, outdoors trips with their uncle. If Alex loved the trips Ian took them on, Sara lived for them. Recently, Ian had been taking her on longer trips, just the two of them. Usually they were survival type things, but sometimes there were trips for sky diving, and once they had taken a heavy weapons class, where they used grenades, rocket launchers, and other 'big boom' things. She was now certified as a rock climber, cliff-jumper, martial arts instructor, paramedic, scuba diver, and a small arms bearer. Of course, Alexa was also a scuba diver, had a 1st Dan black belt of karate, and could rock climb on his own. All thanks to their uncle.

Alex shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Jack? Sara? Jack?" He called. Finally he came to the kitchen, and found the two using wicked-looking knives to chop vegetables and meats. "_Did you have a good day at school?"_ Jack asked in Japanese. "Hai. _Why are we speaking in Japanese?"_ He responded. "_We're having a special dinner…_" Sara answered, practicing a few moves with the knife. Alex recognized a move Ian had been showing her. "Sushimo!" Jack squealed, making Alex smile. It was Ian's favorite meal. Sara smiled knowingly off to the side, and Alex rolled his eyes. Sara had always suspected something between their uncle and the 'housekeeper'. Alex moved to the fridge and began to help preparing Ian's welcome dinner.

--

Later when the three sat together around the lowered table, Alex played with his food, while Sara ate silently and Jack tried in vain to cheer them up. Finally Sara spoke, "Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm desperate for some sake. Jack?" Jack shook her head, stabbing another piece of sushi. "Alex? Oh, come on, Jack. He's sixteen. Let him have some. I won't get him drunk, I promise." Jack sighed in defeat, waving Sara away. Alex smiled broadly, anxious to try the alcoholic drink his sister was fetching.

"Eat something, will you? Come on, he's just stuck in traffic, or something…" Jack urged him. "No, he's probably going to the office to file a report, and next thing we know he's off to Hong Kong." Alex snapped cynically. Jack sighed, lifting her chopsticks to stab yet another piece of sushi. As her chopstick hit the plate, the doorbell rang. "See? What'd I tell you huh? I'm a genius!" Jack exclaimed.

Alex was jogging toward the door when Sara collided with him. Sara stared at her brother for a second, then at the door. Alex shrugged and dashed to the door. As he grabbed for the doorknob, they saw the flashing red and blue lights. The door slowly opened to reveal two police officers, both with grim faces. These were the harbingers of the end of the life the Riders knew.

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**  
Here's a re-done version of chapter one, with prologue included. Hope you enjoyed this better!  
-Red**


	2. EDITED! Funerals and Adrenaline

**Here's the edited chapter 2. Hope it turns out better.  
Oh, and I don't own Alex Rider or company. Leave me and my decade old laptop in peace.**

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Alex and Sara stood with Jack at the foot of Ian Rider's grave. Jack was close to tears, they would not be the first that day. Alex stared at the coffin in disbelief, not able to envision his adventurous uncle cold and unmoving. He looked to Sara, curious as to her reaction. All weekend she had been removed. She hadn't spoken unless necessary, hadn't cried with him and Jack. She hadn't even cried on her own, from what he could tell. It was almost as if it didn't affect her at all. But he knew it had.

Sara had been ten when she and Alex had moved in with Ian. She had memories of times with him that Alex couldn't begin to remember, some he wasn't even there for. Ian had been her mentor, her good friend. He was only seventeen years older than her, and they had such similar personalities. Sometimes Alex was left confused when conversations took turns he couldn't follow, but Sara and Ian somehow did. Sometimes he believed the two shared a secret, one no one else knew.

There was only one major difference between them, and Alex was seeing proof of it now. Sara had a strange ability, or maybe it was a reflex, to detach herself. It was something neither Ian nor Alex could ever match. Once, when Ian had drank a good amount of sake, he had told Sara in private that the ability was something she must have gotten from her father. Alex had been eavesdropping. He remembered what Ian had said now, and wondered if this cold demeanor and seeming indifference he saw now was really a glimpse of his father.

Sara turned to look back at him, having noticed him staring, and, for his benefit, smiled slightly. The priest's words however broke his gaze away. He never would have described Ian Rider as a 'true patriot' nor 'generous servant of his country'. Even Jack gave them a look of confusion. Alex ground his teeth uncomfortably, not sure what to make of the strange descriptions. Sara looked forward, once again settling into her calm removed mask. Alex decided to remain silent out of respect, but was determined to find out the meaning behind the words.

--

After the funeral, the three people of the Rider household were approached by a half-smiling man in a long brown trench coat. "Hello, Alex, Sara. I'm Mr. Crawford, I worked with your uncle at the Royal and General. He was a good man. This is Mr. Blunt, he's the president of the bank." Crawford said as if from a memorized script, moving quickly to the side to reveal a pale, unremarkable man with graying hair.

He was the type of man whose face was forgotten even minutes after seeing him, the kind to easily get lost in a crowd. He stepped forward, not offering his hand. "Yes, yes, good man indeed. He did many great things for the company, we'll all miss him." The man drew out his sentences in a monotonous voice that in no way showed the emotion he claimed to feel. "And this is Mrs. Jones, the director of special projects at the Royal and General." He too moved aside, revealing a dark-skinned woman with cropped black hair in a gray business suit. "Hello. We'll be in touch very soon."

"Why?" Alex interjected, earning a scolding glance from Jack. "Well, to decide who's going to take care of you, of course." The woman answered, undeterred. "I will. I'm his sister after all." Sara snapped. Mrs. Jones smiled, but Sara felt no warmth in it. "It's understandable that you wish to watch over your little brother, but I'm afraid it's not possible." "Why not?" Alex demanded, obviously just as upset about the answer as his sister. "Certain… choices your sister has made, including her… unconventional hobbies, lead us to believe you wouldn't be adequately cared for." Mrs. Jones stated, looking at Sara meaningfully.

Sara snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. She met the cold gray eyes of Mr. Blunt, glaring. Jack was saying something about watching Alex, but he was focused on Sara's eyes. She seemed to be having a silent battle of wills with the gray man. But something else was there, and that's what Alex was trying to understand. Her eyes now held an icy tone that frightened him. If it weren't his sister, he would've said these were the eyes of a killer.

"How tragic. If only he had been wearing a seatbelt." Mr. Blunt said as tauntingly as his monotonous voice could manage. "Our uncle always wore a seatbelt, Mr. Blunt." Alex retorted. Sara continued. "Ian was a very careful man." Alex agreed with the words, but he sensed a second meaning in them meant to jab at Mr. Blunt. Alex was tired of being kept out of the loop. "Not careful enough." Were Mr. Blunt's last words before he got into his car with Mrs. Jones and drove away.

Sara turned quickly and began to walk off, Alex and Jack following soon after. As they approached the gate of the cemetery, Sara took off the black blazer and white button-up she had on, leaving a tank top, and tossed them to Jack. She muttered out a 'be back later' and hopped on her bike, revving the engine. Just before she sped off, Alex called out, bringing the women's attention to the men loading Ian Rider's things into a van. They looked up when Jack shouted at them to stop, then jumped into the van and swerved onto the street, speeding away. Sara growled, speeding off after them. When Jack turned to Alex to ask what was going on, he was already gone, pumping his bike faster as he tried desperately to keep up with the chase.

Sara followed the truck onto a freeway, staying hidden behind other cars. She had to swerve around angered drivers and use the dividers to tail the vehicle without being seen. She noticed Alex on an adjacent road and smirked, proud that Alex was keeping up. She peeled off, letting him continue the chase while she parked her bike on the outside of the fence surrounding the compound the van had pulled into.

She found a tree nearby and climbed, finding herself above a pile of scrapped cars, all scrunched up into sharp, pointy metal death traps. Only a thin wire passed above. She leapt from the tree, just reaching the wire. She continued her momentum, swinging around like a gymnast. The second time around, she hooked her legs around it also. She quickly moved hand over hand and foot over foot to the edge of the pile, where she dropped to the ground, landing on her feet.

Sara crept towards the entrance, then stopped to smile as she spotted Alex, who was covering his bike with a tarp. She snuck up behind him, leaning close to whisper, "Nice touch, the tarp." Alex spun around, eyes wide, then groaned as he recognized Sara. "Bloody hell, Sara. What was that for? How'd you get in, anyway?" He asked, looking over her shoulder towards the back.

"Jumped the fence. Now, you see where the van went?" She asked, checking around a corner. Alex shook his head, then looked to his sister suspiciously. "Why? And that fence is over ten feet high." Sara sighed, turning to Alex even as she cursed his perceptiveness. "I'm gonna steal back Ian's stuff, and there's a tree back there. Now, can we go find that van?" Alex nodded slowly, following Sara around the corner.

Instead of the van, they found something much more interesting, Ian Rider's beautiful silver car. There was no mistaking the 'R1D3R' license plate. Nor the two bullet holes in the driver's side window, and the blood dried on the seat. Alex cringed away, shuddering against the arm Sara laid over his shoulders. Sara clenched her jaw, pushing Alex a step back as she moved to inspect the damage.

The bullet holes were at head and chest level, perfectly aimed for a quick but assured kill. Sara might have thought them the work of a sniper, but the glass around the holes was mostly intact. This job had been up close. But there was no way Ian would have stopped when finished with a mission. He wouldn't have stopped until he was inside the Royal and General. He was that kind of man. Sara wondered how then someone could've shot him so accurately. Only a few could have done it, and she didn't want to accept that any of them would have. But HE might have... and that was more heart-wrenching than Ian's death itself.

Her ponderings were cut short however, when two guys came out of a shed, arguing about the very car she and Alex were crouched behind. Then a dog came running towards them from the opposite side. They did the only thing they could, jumped into Ian Rider's car. After the dog and men were gone, Alex poked his head up.

Suddenly a huge lurch shook the car and Sara yanked him back down. Through the cloth ceiling of the convertible came a huge metal claw. The claw lifted the car up, and dropped it into the compactor. Sara began cursing as the sides of the car started collapsing. Alex was frantically trying to kick out the front window. Sara sighed in defeat and hit the dashboard. Alex looked at her in confusion, then shoved himself back against the seat as a screen slid out of the AC vent. Sara quickly started pressing options. It went from 'emergency' to 'escape options' and then 'ejection seats'.

Alex gaped at her until he blasted out of the car and managed to catch the claw and climb up. Sara was soon after, but she expertly tucked herself into a ball and flipped towards the side, landing on her feet. She waited for Alex before she started running towards the front gate, taking a winding path to confuse anyone chasing them.

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Alex shouted up to her, just barely keeping up. "What was what?" Sara called back innocently, slowing her pace a bit so Alex could keep up easier. "That! The car, your flip, and this sudden speed!" Alex demanded, not noticing the man chasing them. "It was a security feature, and you'd be amazed what adrenaline can do!" Sara called back, stopping suddenly to push Alex to the side as a shot rang off. She pushed him behind a car with a 'stay', and went to confront the men.

"What're you doin' here, girl?" One called. Sara smirked, leaning down to pick up a crow bar at her feet. The men laughed, challenging her. "What, you gonna fight us, girl? This'll be fun!" Another man called out. Sara's smirk faded, and her eyes hardened again. "Not for you." Sara corrected, no emotion in her voice. This unsettled most of the men, but they shook it off.

One at a time, they advanced. The first tried to tackle her, but Sara stepped to the side, slapping the crow bar over his back as he flew past hard enough to make a loud sound. The second and third came together, from each side. She dropped to one knee, sweeping one's feet from under him, while launching her back up at the other one. He rolled over her, his fall knocking the wind out of him. The others regained their senses and attacked together.

Suddenly one fell to the ground, revealing Alex behind him, a sturdy knotted rope in his hands. Sara smiled, glad he had been able to put aside his questions to fight. The siblings worked together, tossing the rope back and forth, winding it around the men. When they were satisfied with the tangled web, they stood side by side and yanked on the rope, making the men collide with each other. Alex smiled as the men cursed at them.

Sara pulled him towards the entrance, stopping at his bike. "So are you ever going to tell me what happened back there?" Alex asked her. "Yes. Maybe not soon, but I will." Alex looked up in surprise. "What? You'd figure it out on your own eventually anyway." Sara explained, ruffling his hair and making him smile. She handed him his bike and shooed him away. Then she turned and went back towards her motorcycle. She jumped on and rode towards the house.

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There ya go, an updated chap. Enjoy.  
-Red


	3. EDITED! Distractions

**Here's the edited chapter 3. Mostly just formating stuff. Except the flashback, that's all NEW!! Enjoy it! (and review!!)  
Oh, and I don't own any of the characters, etc.- except Sara (pronounced like Sarah, btw). Seriously, find someone richer to pick on.  
**

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Chapter 3  
Distraction

Half-way to the house Sara stopped in an alley, pulling out her cell phone. When the familiar number picked up, she said simply, "He knows."

"How much?" Came a deep, accented voice she knew too well. "All but the names." She responded, running a hand over her face tiredly. "What are you going to do with him?" "Probably let MI6 have him. He doesn't belong with us. He's done nothing to deserve that." "You want to save him." The voice said, half teasingly and half incredulous. Sara didn't respond.

"…You don't want him to kill, do you?" This time the voice was gentler. Sara sighed. "He's my brother, of course I don't. Alex isn't a killer. Not like us." "Then they will be best for him. They'll underestimate him, but they won't make him kill." "Yet. Alright, I'll make the call. You just be safe." "Hn." Sara smirked faintly at the gruff reply and hung up the phone.

She quickly dialed another number, one not so familiar to her. "Royal and General Bank how may I help you?" Piped the receptionist. "Give me Alan Blunt." Sara ordered calmly. "I'm sorry, Miss, there is no Alan Blunt at our ban," The receptionist started, only to be cut off. "Don't give me the bank shit. I want Blunt, now." Sara barked, making the receptionist grimace. "May I ask who's calling?" "Tell him it's Sara Rider. Be ready to transfer it to his secure line. And he'll probably want a trace." Sara smirked, knowing the confusion the receptionist would be going through, just as she knew that everything she said would be done.

"This is Blunt. What can MI6 do for you, Miss Rider?" "Cut the crap, Blunt. Ian was your best man, you could have shown him a little respect. Trying to get yourselves on my brother's good side so soon?" Sara snapped sarcastically. Blunt's voice came back sharp as steel. "It appears you're doing the job for us, Miss Rider." Sara felt the burn he had intended, and sighed.

"This isn't why I called. I have a message for you." "From Scorpia?" Blunt ventured, assuming he was right; Sara could hear that in his voice. She smirked. "From me." Then it dropped as she said the next words. "He's ready, Blunt. He's figured most of it out, anyway. It's time." "Why are you giving him to us? Scorpia would gladly recruit him, what with," "Because I know what Scorpia does to kids. Get to him soon, Blunt. Before they find him first." Sara interrupted sharply. She quickly hung up and turned around to continue to the house.

She found Alex.

He was standing in the mouth of the alley, gaping at her. "Alex," She started, reaching for him. He jerked backwards, shaking his head. "Alex, you don't understand. Let me explain." She tried, and he stopped backing away.

Instead he took a step forward, becoming angry. "So not telling me all these years that our uncle worked for MI6, and that you're some kind of killer, did I just not understand that, too?" He demanded. "No, Alex. That was a lie. It's what we do. We lie." Sara pointed out sadly, tiredly leaning against the wall. Alex shook his head angrily. "Ian didn't lie to me." Sara stared at him sadly, not wanting to ruin the memory of their beloved uncle. "Ian lied to everyone, Alex. He had to." Alex wouldn't listen, and turned to leave. "I believed your lies, Sara. I trusted you." He whispered over his shoulder. Sara sighed, running a hand over her face tiredly as he sped off. "I know, Alex. But you shouldn't have." She sunk to the ground, cradling her face in her hands.

A couple minutes passed and she heard footsteps approaching, then felt a large hand on her shoulder. "Sara." The familiar heavily accented voice put Sara at ease and she looked up at Yassen Gregorovich. He crouched down in front of her, slipping the hand to the back of her neck. It was all the comfort she was going to get here. "Come on." He ordered. Sara gave a small nod, slowly wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He reached around and picked her up easily. He held her close as he carried her towards a Scorpia helicopter.

--

Once they were on board, Sara recognized Yassen's personal pilot, Trevor. She nodded a greeting and turned to look out at the scenery. Sara looked down at Chelsea below them, and noticed a lone figure biking along a back road. She recognized her brother's blond hair and bright red bike. As she leaned out to see him better, she was suddenly pulled back from the edge and found her back against Yassen's chest. "Watching him go won't help." He whispered in her ear, his breath caressing her skin.

Sara shivered, knowing she was completely vulnerable and laying against the most dangerous man in the business. He was cold, removed, and calculating, the perfect killer. Only when out of Scorpia's near-omniscient gaze would he relax and hold Sara like he was now. She sighed, turning into Yassen's hold. His arms tightened around her, and she nestled her face into his neck. A growl started in his throat, and Sara felt the rumbling sound. She quickly flipped her body to face him, straddling his lap. Yassen grabbed one of her hands in one of his own, holding it immobile behind her back. She wrapped the other around his neck, gripping his hair. Her lips were tantalizingly close to his, and their breath mingled. They tilted their heads about, neither willing to submit and initiate the contact, but both craving it. The teasing closeness lasted for a time, much like two boxers before the match.

Suddenly their eyes met, blue-gray penetrating deeply into dark green, and neither could resist. The distance vanished in a flash as both pushed forward, teeth clashing roughly. His tongue invaded her mouth first, battling for control. She fought back, driving him back until she was able to taste him. After a few more seconds of the fierce battle, they broke apart for breath. Yassen nursed a split lip while Sara coddled a non-self-bitten tongue.

Once they recovered from the previous one, Yassen began another kiss, this one slower and more gentle. His lips brushed across hers softly before he pulled her lower lip between his, sucking on it softly. Sara moaned quietly, her tongue flicking out to catch his upper lip. He released her lower lip, and she pressed both her lips to his, urging them open. Yassen complied, letting her tongue roam his mouth for a bit. Sara caressed his tongue, swirling around the tip. Soon though he grew anxious, and Sara let him take back control, realizing the moments before had been a rare treat. Yassen ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her head back gently for a more desirable angle. Too soon, he pulled back, bringing her head back level.

"They called." He whispered, keeping his forehead pressed to hers. Sara inhaled sharply, knowing an assignment would follow. "When?" She asked, accepting the change in stride. "Now." Yassen answered, his voice soft but firm. No one else would have understood the reluctance that conveyed, but she did. "You don't need to accompany me. Trevor is sufficient." He added, and though his tone was ice cold, she was warmed by the thought behind the words. He would lie to their employer for her... She smiled softly at him and intertwined her fingers with his. "Sufficient my ass. I'm the only one who gets your back." She responded possessively, making him smirk. After a few lingering kisses, he broke away from her, moving to the cockpit of the helicopter.

Sara wrapped her arms around herself, already missing his warmth. It hadn't always been like this. They had been different, he had been different. He used to be kind and even somewhat expressive- not at all the cold emotionless man of today. She leaned her head back and let herself remember for the first time in over a year.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""  
_It was just after her first assassination assignment. He'd been there to quietly observe, and was supposed to leave as soon as the job was finished. But he'd stayed with her through it all, long after the target was dead. That night, he'd held her close as she came to terms with __what she'd done__, and __who she was now. _

_The next day, he'd taken her to the nearby Rhine river, where they stretched out on the banks and talked the day away. As the sun set, he'd stared at her, silent. "You aren't watching the sunset." She'd whispered, self-conscious and uncomfortable. He'd laughed then, and leaned over to press a kiss to her forehead. "I could tell you I found something more beautiful, or that I'm already looking at nature's greatest wonder, or something equally as recited and uninspired." He'd teased, his eyes alight with mirth. She'd chuckled softly and shook her head. "Please don't." He'd glanced at her in surprise, not expecting that answer. "Why not?"_

_ It had been her turn to laugh, and she'd shifted to hover above him, her arms crossed on his chest. "I could ask you to sweep me off my feet to a better life, or to swear you'll never leave my side, or something equally as domesticated and boring." She'd retorted dramatically with a smirk. He hadn't been able to hold back the bark of laughter, and flung his arms around her and pulled her closer. "Please don't." He'd parroted, and continued to laugh. She'd joined him after a soft 'that's why not'. _

_When they had calmed down, he'd happily found himself above her. "This won't be conventional." He'd warned. "This won't be boring." She'd corrected, then added, "Hell, we don't even know what 'this' is!" He'd nodded his agreement, and lowered to kiss her anyway. When they'd pulled apart, he'd tried again. "We could die next week or next year. We'll be lucky to survive until Christmas." She'd rolled her eyes at his pessimism. "Then we'll have a week or a year together. And it's already November."_

Another kiss.

"Attachments are dangerous." This attempt had been weaker, as his focus had been on her lips. Her response had stayed just as strong. "Could you forget about this? Right now, could you turn your back and never think about it again? ...Face it, we're already screwed on that point."

Multiple, longer kisses.

He'd pulled back, reluctantly, panting. "Do this and you're mine. I'll kill anyone I consider a threat to that." He'd growled low and stared into her eyes intensely. She'd smiled at that, warmed by the possessiveness that had been in his voice. "Do this and you're never getting rid of me. Oh, and don't think your possession complex goes one way. I don't play nice and I don't share." He'd adamantly agreed

They'd chosen the hardest path that night, but neither regretted it.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Sara smiled softly as she cleared her head of the memory. She glanced to the cockpit where Yassen was cursing at Trevor, who was making faces at the back of the assassin's head. Sara chuckled to herself; only the quirky, fiercely loyal pilot could do something like that without retaliation. Trevor was one of the few people Yassen let occasionally see his more human side. But she was the only one who knew that side of him anymore.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, letting thoughts of her other life fall away. She wiped away the emotions tumbling inside her, leaving the cold and removed face from the funeral. This was her routine, and by the time they set down she would be like Yassen: unaffected by emotions and thinking only about the job. She slipped off the dress jeans she wore to reveal black shorts. She began pulling out drawers, trying to find her things.

Trevor noticed Sara getting ready and let Yassen take control. He came back to help her, pulling out the bundle of equipment she would need. Sara nodded, turning away from him. Trevor grinned slightly, glad to see she was back to normal. He rejoined Yassen in the cockpit, careful to keep his eyes from wandering back towards the woman behind him, lest he incur the other man's deadly wrath. Not even he was safe when it came to Sara. Yassen's possessive streak for Sara was keen and vicious. And with Yassen, that meant lethal. So Trevor stared intently at the controls, keeping his head angled down and away. Yassen noticed, and gave a discrete proud smile. He appreciated both of the two people in his inner circle who understood him so well. And even if he never showed it, they knew.

Sara was oblivious to all of this as she slipped into black cargo pants and loaded the pockets with ammo, a radio, and other tools of her trade. A hunting knife on her calf, a handgun on her hip, and her customized special-ops-style rifle over her shoulder completed her preparations. Yassen looked back and nodded approvingly, making Sara smirk. Soon he came back out of the cockpit, loading his preferred two handguns. Sara rose and stood beside him at the edge.

Just before they stepped off the now landed helicopter, Yassen tossed Sara a black coat. She rose an eyebrow in confusion, but unfolded it anyway. She sent him an amused glance as she realized it was almost identical to his. He reached back and grabbed her rifle, holding it while she slipped on the new piece of her 'uniform'. When she took back the rifle, she slid her hand along his, only her eyes betraying her gratitude. He nodded stiffly, regaining his cold exterior as he turned away. Sara followed suit, her face blank as she stepped out beside him. They made their way into the building in front of them, ready to complete the task they were assigned.

* * *

Short, I know. But try to forgive. And tell me what you think about the flashback. OoC, I know, but I wanted to show how he's hanged over the years. And now, on to the action-y stuffs. maybe. woo hoo!  
-Red


	4. Never Again

Sara sat in the empty tub fully clothed, hands covering her face. A scene from earlier that day played through her head repeatedly. Her and Yassen had approached the target's office, confident because everything had gone according to plan. They hadn't been seen, no alarms were triggered, the layout was correct; everything was perfect. Until they stepped inside the office. Until Sara caught sight of two children in the corner, not able to call out before Yassen shot the target right in front of them. Sara had knelt down with the children, trying to gauge if they would tell anyone what had happened. The elder, a girl, held her younger brother close, and made it quite clear she meant to tell the police everything. Sara sighed, trying to convince the girl it would be in her best interest to keep silent. The girl hadn't listened, so Sara had gone back to Yassen's side. After a long look between them, they pointed their handguns at the children. Just as Sara had steeled herself to do it, shouts had rung out on the other side of the door. There were shots down the hall, and Trevor burst into the room, slamming the door behind him. "This guy's got some nasty friends." He rasped, trying to catch his breath. "Like who?" Sara demanded, not looking away from the children. "Like Darius Sayle." Trevor grumbled, making both Sara and Yassen go rigid. "We can't let them know it was us." Yassen murmured, waiting for Sara to make her decision. "Not if we want the job he offered. … and dead men tell no tales." She whispered, still staring into the girl's eyes. Yassen nodded, and the two partners pulled the trigger at the same moment. Trevor jumped, not expecting the shots. Sara and Yassen turned away from the two small bodies, facing Trevor who was still bracing himself on the door. He saw the look that crossed both faces and groaned. "Lemme guess, no other way out, right?" Sara nodded, while Yassen just checked his weapons. Trevor muttered something about 'suicide' and 'no halos or fluffy clouds for us' as he turned and prepared to open the door. Sara and Yassen burst out of the office, taking a couple shots at the two men now peering around a corner at the end of the hall.

Trevor was sleeping on Sara's bed in the hotel suite the company had sent them to. Sara's hands shook against her face, and she lowered them. She couldn't believe she'd just killed two innocent children, especially since they reminded her so much of her and Alex in their younger years. "Never again, never again." She repeated like a mantra, not noticing Yassen slip into the room. He watched as Sara cried herself to sleep. Yassen approached silently, lifting Sara into his arms. She regained consciousness enough to wrap her arms around Yassen's neck and nuzzle his shoulder. Her bed was taken by Trevor, so Yassen carried her to his own. As he removed the black clothes from their earlier job, he noticed a thin chain she'd had hidden before. He pulled it out from her shirt to reveal a small cross at the end. It was made of obsidian, with a small green stone in the center. Yassen gazed at it curiously for a minute, until Sara began to shift uncomfortably in her sleep. He peeled off his own shirt, crawling in beside her. He lay on his side, back to Sara. After a few more seconds of tossing, he felt her familiar body press up against his bare back, and he swallowed. He knew sleep would not come easily tonight. Good thing he could survive on three hours a week. That may be all he would get, if this arrangement continued. He shifted, trying in vain to keep some space between them. He heard a soft chuckle behind him, and knew that Sara was at least partially awake, and enjoying his discomfort. He flipped over to face her, pulling her close. She smiled at him, brushing her lips across his before curling into his chest. He laughed silently, pressing a kiss to her temple. He had finally begun to drift asleep when he felt Sara's leg slip over his and lock around his waist. He looked down at her in surprise, and barely held back a groan when he noticed she was still asleep. Yep, no sleep tonight.

* * *

Okay, sorry this is short, but it's been hectic. I hope people are actually enjoying this. Oh, and i'll try to include more action scenes in the future, but i had a slight case of writers block there. Till then! 


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